Regardless of what was going on in the world, anglers could always take comfort in a few hours on the water. The current coronavirus crisis, however, is making that a challenge.
Self-isolating, social distancing and non-essential business closures have had a huge impact on participation.
Still, for those who have been able to get out there, the bite has been pretty good.
Capt. Phil Sciortino at The Tackle Box in Hazlet said the bass fishing in the back of Raritan Bay is incredible. Bloodworms soaked in Finesse clam oil have been catching a lot of bass on the Bayshore beaches and there have been some keepers among the many shorts.
The Tackle Box has been closed, but is helping customers curbside as tackle shops are considered non-essential businesses. That’s been a tough sell to most fishermen.
Butch at Julian’s Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Highlands said the bass fishing has been good in the bay. Most of the action he heard about is on worms. One of the stripers caught was 42 inches, he reported. Julian’s is also running curbside service.
Mike Pinto at Giglio’s Bait and Tackle in Sea Bright said that in addition to worms, bass in Raritan Bay have also been hitting Yo-Zuri twitch baits and other small plugs. He said the kayakers have been doing very well there lately with bass in the teens.
He also said a there was a bit of action in the surf in Sea Bright with small bass hitting worms.
Mike Gleason at Tak Waterman in Long Branch said stripers up to 25 pounds have been caught in Raritan Bay on metal-lipped swimmers. Most of the fish are between 8 and 15 pounds, but there are some bigger ones mixed in.
Bob Matthews at Fisherman’s Den in Belmar said they remain open but they’re operating with a skeleton crew and there hasn’t been a whole lot of traffic lately.
Winter flounder continue to bite in the Shark River and he said the surf action for stripers in Belmar has picked up with worms accounting for most of the bites.
Matthews said The Ocean Explorer hasn’t sailed in several days and Capt. Bobby Quinn reported that he’s waiting to see if there will be any restrictions on the number of people he can carry before making a decision on his next trip.
Capt. Pete Sykes of Parker Pete’s Sportfishing out of Belmar will be heading north to Browns Point Marina in Keyport sometime in the next few weeks to fish for Raritan Bay stripers. Capt. Jay Richardella of Side Job Charters will be doing the same out of Lockwood Boat Works in South Amboy.
Eric Bunz at the Reel Seat in Brielle said the winter flounder fishing has been good at the Mantoloking Bridge and the stripers are pretty much everywhere in Barnegat Bay. They’ve been hitting small plugs and Fin-S jigs. He heard that bigger bass in Raritan Bay were starting to hit bunker chunks.
Bunz said they have been operating on a reduced schedule with a smaller crew. The shop is officially closed and online business and reel repairs have been keeping them busy.
Kyle at Fishermen’s Supply in Point Pleasant Beach said the striper fishing in the rivers and back bays has been good on small plastics and plugs like Mag Darters. Bloodworms are also catching a good share of the bass.
The winter flounder bite has picked up, he said, as Jason Szabo from the shop has been doing well in the bay on clams. Szabo has been getting into the stripers as well on the sod banks with small plugs and shads.
Kyle also reported very good freshwater fishing in local lakes and ponds. Fishermen’s Supply is open but servicing customers at the front door.
Capt. Matt Sosnowski of the Norma K III out of Point Pleasant Beach was planning on sailing April 1 for blackfish, but with all that’s going on in the world, he thinks it will be a couple of more weeks before that happens.
Frank at Gabriel Tackle in Brick said the back bay and rivers are producing a mix of short and keeper stripers on bloodworms, Kettle Creek shads and small plugs.
Flounder fishing also has been decent, he said, around the Mantoloking Bridge and mouth of the Point Pleasant Canal. The shop is closed to the public but Gabriel’s is offering curbside and mail order service. Frank said to contact them and they will get you what you need.
Pete at Charlie’s Bait and Tackle in Normandy Beach said the bass fishing is still good in the bay and this week saw better action for the boat guys. He’s also received a few reports of bass in the surf.
Participation is way down, he said. Guys want to fish he added, but there is a lot of uncertainty about what will be permitted in terms of access and numbers of people allowed to fish. He is also among those operating curbside service.
Ray Kerico at Grumpy’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said the striper fishing is decent in the bay and he’s hearing of more bass being caught in the surf on clams and worms.
His crew is keeping busy with online sales and repairs and helping customers curbside.
John Bushell at Betty and Nick’s Bait and Tackle in Seaside Park said the striper bite in the bay is the best thing going right now. Bloodworms and small plugs and plastics are catching the fish with worms getting most of the attention.
Island Beach State Park, he said, is the only beach open right now near him and that’s from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Fishing Forecast for Northern New Jersey
Striper fishing has been good in the back bays and rivers. Worms, small plugs and plastics have all been catching fish. The bigger fish have been in Raritan Bay and are hitting worms, bunker chunks, shads, metal-lipped swimmers and small plugs.
There have also been more reports of bass in the surf on clams and worms. Bunker chunks might also be worth a try in the suds. Most tackle shops are closed but many are offering curbside service for bait and tackle. Call ahead to make sure they can accommodate you.
Reports have also been very good on freshwater action for crappie, pike and pickerel in local ponds and lakes.
Be safe and be well.